Best TV Boxes: Apple TV vs Amazon Fire TV vs Roku vs the rest

The majority of the market’s major names in the set-top boxes industry have busied themselves in upgrading their digital media devices this year.

What does that mean for the end user?

It means that the user might as well go out in the market and find a ‘need’ to refresh his/her set-top box.

And if a given user is going to do that then it makes all the sense in the world to have a refresher on which 4K media streaming devices are the best in the world right now.

More importantly though, which are the best TV boxes for the user and his/her needs.

Here is Security Gladiators very briefly (relatively speaking) and to-the-point guide on which are the best TV box devices currently available in the market today.

Moreover, we’ll also talk about how should users go about telling the differences between different TV boxes.

Now, for the sake of conciseness and brevity, Security Gladiators would not be giving the reader an exhaustive list of each and every single application that the user may have the option of installing on TV boxes and such devices.

Hence, readers should assume that they can get the likes of,

Showtime

HBO

Plex

YouTube

Hulu

Netflix

Any other common online video-playing app that one can install of such devices

on their devices.

That is, until we tell the user something otherwise.

So instead of talking about which apps work for which TV boxes, we’re going to focus on a few (rather handful) of such devices and the key differences in the app and software selections.

We’ll do that for each gadget until we reach the end of this guide.

Apart from that, we’ll also be going to make the decision of sticking to the very premium and top-end TV box devices in each given line (examples include, Roku and Fire TV).

However, we will briefly mention other TV boxes along with these.

Things have changed a ton since the early days of TV boxes.

Now, users have lots of choices when it comes to picking out the best TV box in the market.

Instead, now there are so many good set-top boxes that it isn’t about the box itself anymore.

More than ever before, users now to think harder about the kit that they use instead of the box that they buy.

Moreover, users also have to think about the ecosystem that they may have already invested in a lot.

Let’s not forget the modern digital assistants that many users consider as their best friends.

Functions and features are now more or less comparable.

There are caveats though but they are few in number.

Hence, users need to take a deeper look at the big picture (if that makes sense).

With that out of the way, let’s get to our list of best TV boxes that online consumers can buy at the moment.

Apple TV 4K

The Apple TV 4K TV box costs around $180 for the version that comes with 32GB of storage.

For the 64 GB storage version, one has to shell out $200.

Key points on hardware specifications

With that out of the way, let’s talk about the key hardware features.

The latest version of Apple TV supports HDR playback and 4K video.

Not only that, it also has the ability to work with the very immersive Dolby Atmos audio standard.

Users of Apple TV have the option of controlling the TV box device with the company’s digital assistant Siri.

Siri can help users to utilize and manage their device more effectively..

Moreover, the digital assistant is also compatible with the company’s Apple Homekit offering.

Users who want to beam premium content to Apple HomeKit can do with the help of Apple AirPlay.

Key points on software features.

Now, let’s move to some of the key software features.

Users who have a desire to get their iTunes shows and movies up there on the big screen with the help of a set-top box should know that the Apple TV box is perhaps the only smart box that has the ability to do that.

Of course, some users would know how to make use of the workaround that we call MoviesAnywhere, but not considering that, Apple TV is about as good as it gets to viewing iTunes content on a big TV screen.

That also means another thing.

It means that the Apple TV 4K box is the one single box available in the market today which can cover anything and everything from Amazon, Google, Apple and the rest.

Our research shows that Apple TV 4k can work pretty seamlessly with various other Apple services and products such as Apple Music.

That is pretty unlike (almost) every other TV box streaming device.

We have also come to know that Apple TV 4k offers users the absolute best specs in a given device like a TV box.

And that too by a long way.

The only other device that comes close to offering similar specs in this form is perhaps Nvidia Shield.

For the end user, all of Apple TV 4K specs mean that the device can offer smoother and faster operation for its 4K playback, apps, and menus.

This is what our research has shown.

Our research has also shown that Apple TV 4K has a lot more potential for games and apps even though the platform developers have not come around to embracing the company’s vision.

Currently, there is no Spotify app for the Apple TV 4K platform and recently developers also shelved Minecraft for the Apple TV platform.

If we’re talking about the quality of the video and audio that users are likely to get on their big screen, then users would find relief in knowing that Apple TV 4K offers a 7.1 surround sound and 60 fps 4K.

Our research shows that it is one of the (if not the) best in the business.

Chromecast Ultra

The Chromecast Ultra costs users around $70.

Key points on hardware specifications

The first thing that readers should know about Chromecast Ultra is that it is now no longer the latest Chromecast device.

However, it doesn’t really matter.

Why?

Because even though it is not the latest, it is still the only one of the whole Chromecast family that has the ability to play HDR and 4K content.

Moreover, for those who need it, Chromecast Ultra also comes with an Ethernet port.

Key points on software features.

Some of our readers might already know this but it never hurts to state the obvious:

Chromecast Ultra is not really a standalone TV box device.

Moreover, the problem with Chromecast Ultra is that it doesn’t have any real user interface.

It doesn’t come with a remote either.

Instead of that, the Chromecast Ultra is pretty much an extension of the user’s laptop, tablet and/or phone.

This fact alone makes Chromecast Ultra fairly simple and easy to use.

However, it is also slightly limited in the sense that the user always requires another device to make Chromecast Ultra work.

No one is disputing the fact that there is a lot of cool stuff that the Chromecast Ultra can do.

And that’s not even counting the obvious stuff such as audio and video streaming.

It has the capability to cast a given user’s laptop display (in its entirety) via Google Chrome.

Users can also make use of Chromecast Ultra in order to mirror an internet-enabled Android device’s display.

Moreover, users can also branch out further uses into photos and presentations.

Amazon Fire TV Cube also offers excellent support for Amazon Prime audio services and Amazon Prime Video especially if we’re speaking in terms of the actual browsing of content right from the top or even via the Alexa digital assistant.

But this is something most would expect of a product from Amazon.

Moreover, users who do not have a trouble in living without their Alexa, the company’s other offer of $50 Amazon Fire Stick 4K, it can be argued, the better choice as far as value for money is concerned.

Who would buy Amazon Fire TV Cube?

People who get a kick out of controlling their set-top box as well as their TV set from nothing but their voice.

If the user is a dedicated and long-time Amazon Prime subscriber then too this product would make much sense.

People who have already made great friends with the likes of Alexa would certainly appreciate this TV box device.

Otherwise, our research shows that there are a lot of other set-top boxes in the market today that offer better features, better specs and better selection of application.

Readers should know that there is a good reason why Amazon Fire TV has not managed to find quite the same universal appeal as the company’s Kindle offering.

Nvidia Shield TV

This TV box is going to cost users around $180.

Key points on hardware specifications

Just like most of the other options on our list of best TV boxes in the world, this one offers support for HDR content as well as 4K and Dolby Atmos.

However, it only does that in compatible applications.

There is also an Ethernet port available.

Along with that, it has two USB slots.

Users who want more than 16 GB of internet storage space would appreciate the fact that Nvidia Shield comes with multiple USB slots.

Key points on software features

We don’t know the precise reason for it but it seems like Nvidia Shield did not know how to mingle with the big guns in the industry.

That is why it’s Nvidia Shield offering sort of got lost in the big crowd of various other set-top box devices.

But perhaps we are wrong.

Perhaps, Nvidia itself priced its product right out of the market.

However, for online consumers who consider money as a non-existent hurdle, this is the best TV box.

It is suitable for all sorts of Android fans.

Nvidia Shield even feels right at home with a fully-fledged Android TV.

The Nvidia Shield also caters to all the gaming fans who are reading to pay a little extra for a gamepad accessory and Nvidia’s official game streaming service.

The great thing about Android TV is that it offers full access to pretty much each and every service and app out there in the infinite world of the internet.

And that includes services such as Amazon Prime Video.

Of course, it doesn’t support iTunes.

Android TV now also includes a little smart Google Assistant integration as well.

And that’s not all.

It offers even more.

Android TV can even double up as Google’s Chromecast.

In other words, it has the ability to do everything that a Chromecast can and on top of that, it an do some more.

Readers should know that all of this applies to consumers who their go out and get a Nvidia Shield and/or purchase a television that has Android TV on board.

There is little doubt about the fact that the latest user interface update actually makes the entire platform much easier to use.

By that we mean, that users will have a great time in searching for different types of content and then picking up right where they left off the last time.

It even has the ability to act as a genuine Plex server if the user desires that.

There is also an option of Live TV watching with the help of a USB antenna.

This is another extra that users might want to go ahead and just take advantage of rather than think over it.

Who would buy it?

People who have a desire to have the best hardware that is available with a set-top box.

Consumers who love and adore the way Android works would also appreciate this TV box.

Users who are keen gamers would find this to be the best option among the bunch.

Apart from that, users who want to be right at the very top end of the entire set-top box market when it comes to features and specifications, would find that there is no option equal to Nvidia Shield.

In fact, we’re pretty sure that Nvidia Shield is essentially the Apple TV for all those people who have a desire to do stuff with various other non-Apple services and devices.

Zohair is currently a content crafter at Security Gladiators and has been involved in the technology industry for more than a decade. He is an engineer by training and, naturally, likes to help people solve their tech related problems. When he is not writing, he can usually be found practicing his free-kicks in the ground beside his house.

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